You can likely look up fishing spots on your state DNR website. It should list public lands and waters. You can also get something like onXFish which will also show you. Great app and its pretty cheap.
Where I live theres like no ponds. I live by a lake called Tim’s ford but I don’t have a boat so I can’t really fish it. I just don’t know where to fish and I love fishing but it’s annoying when you have no where to go. Oh also I’m fish mainly largemouth smallmouth and trout.
You can likely look up fishing spots on your state DNR website. It should list public lands and waters. You can also get something like onXFish which will also show you. Great app and its pretty cheap.
The way I do it: I go to a local tackle store. It has to be local and ask questions. You will get info that Reddit, google and YouTube can’t answer. Tight lines
If it’s a lake or river there will probably be parks along it. Start there. Just verify if they low fishing. If there are bridges crossing it there are often spots to fish under the bridge or along side it but make sure to check local laws. Google search fishing pier. Big public lakes often have them. Check for public owned land along water. State / National forests if in US. Go to bait shops or places that sell fishing gear. The staff may have suggestions.
Use the fishbrain app on your phone you can get exact locations where fish are being caught near you
Any lake I've been to has a boat ramp and some land nearby you can use. Also just check on Google maps. There's bound to be an accessible area somewhere.
All the boat ramps I’ve tried are over fished
Pull over and fish. Creeks and rivers run under roads. So open the map app on your phone and find places close to home that way. And the fish are less pressured.
I’ve been in your situation. What has worked for me is using google earth to look at what’s what. You have to first find where you can access. Looks for parks on the lake and parking lots. Then I scroll around the edge of the lake using Earth to look for potentially good structure and where I can get to via trails and/or wading. I’ve found a couple great spots and have had a lot of duds but at least it gave me a starting point. Most of the good spots I mapped were confirmed when I got there - very seldom did I find a good spot where there weren’t already plenty of locals fishing.
What do you mean you can't fish it without a boat? I looked it up - if it's the Tim's Ford near Winchester, TN, you've got a very fishable lake. It has over a dozen free-to-access boat ramps and a few rivers/creeks connecting to it. It has a very nice page on your state's website and clicking the map takes you to an interactive map that shows stuff like fish attractors/habitats. I see plenty of good looking spots on this lake that would be easy to get to.
Go on Google maps and look for water. Bonus points if you can see structure in the water.
I know where you're at... There are other reservoirs nearby too Find the dams and fish below them for catfish. And the streams that flow out are stocked with trout. At least they used to be. Plenty of rocky shoes shorelines too, just watch out for snakes.